Generally, in composite frame fabrication, a fiber preform or layup is prepared. A selected plurality of tackified cloth, dry cloth or prepreg laminae may be superimposed or stacked together to provide a preform of a member, part, or component. The preform is then debulked and impregnated, if dry or tackified cloth, prior to final curing under pressure. This can be accomplished by using a pressure bag in which the preform is encased, typically in a vacuum bag. In order to maintain the preform in a desired shape, the preform can be secured to a rigid, appropriately shaped mandrel, sometimes called a preform tool, frame, or a fixture. This can occur prior to enclosure in a vacuum bag or other enclosure. The impregnated preform may be cured at room temperature or may be placed in an oven or autoclave which applies pressure to the preform through the bag under curing temperature.
During fabrication of these composite parts, it is often the case that excess axial fiber length develops into an aberration or wrinkle in the composite material layup or preform during compaction or debulking of the layup or preform. This is especially true when using braided or woven materials like two-dimensional (“2D”) and/or three-dimensional (“3D”) 5-harness and/or 8-harness fabrics or braids in plain or diamond patterns Aberrations can include, at least, warping, wrinkling, undulations, slippage, bends, or the like in the layup that may adversely affect the appearance of the resulting components.
Many of the previously known methods for anchoring preforms use anchoring portions that are raised or provided as separate parts of a more elaborate, multi-part tool. The clamping mechanism in these devices typically remains with the tool during the cure cycle. Additionally, these multi-part tools often fail to evenly compress the preform along the length of the mandrel. For example, caul plates are often utilized to compress the preform on to the mandrel. Unfortunately, near the edges or interface between the caul plates, pressure inconsistencies or misalignments may occur. This results in dimensional inaccuracies, added defects and aberrations, additional resin bleed, increased tool maintenance and higher operating costs.
Additionally, in most instances only the outermost layers of the laminate may be extended and gripped by the anchor and the resulting outer layer tensioning may be done by the vacuum bag itself, when the vacuum may be applied. This results essentially in tensioning only on the outer layer. With these methods tensioning may be applied by ply bridging when the vacuum bag forces outer plies which may be cut longer into a void created by the inner plies being cut shorter and the area between the longer plies and the tool is thus “bridged” to apply the tension on the lower plies. Thus, tension may not be applied throughout the layers. Moreover, in addition to the added complexities of the multi-part tools noted above, the likelihood of failures due to bag ruptures may be increased and the resulting part can be dangerously flawed.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a layup tensioning device and method that is capable of overcoming the disadvantages described herein at least to some extent.